It sounds a good idea of staying put, but there is a chance that you might think:"Oh, I recognise this tree/mountain/bush. Yes, the path is just behind it". After you get there:"Oh, no, I was wrong. But hang on, THIS IS THAT TREE/MOUNTAIN/BUSH behind of which is my path!" etc etc.
And this way you get completely lost. Then finally you understand that all trees/mountains/bushes look the same and you start thinking how to get out of this situation. But your thought is the following: "I have just got lost, it has happened today. So I am only a few hours off the right track. Why should I wait for rescue and suffer if I can find it? It is only a few hours!" Probably, you will try to orient yourself in which direction you walked before (south/north/east/west) and by going more or less straight you will try to find your path. And you start walking again. You may be right and find your way, but also you might be wrong.
Moreover, your live experience will probably tell you that, yes, it happened you got lost before, but you always managed to find your way back somehow. So, if you just keep trying you will eventually find your way back.
I would say abudance of animals/plants significantly depends on the area. Yes, in most cases there are plenty of them, but I was in areas where you do not see animals that often and plants are different so you do not recognise them.